Creativity of my sister's family

My creative little nieces, not to mention mom and dad! My niece had a family project that she was working on in school. They had to create their own breed of dinosaur. This is their creation, the Leafosaurus. It was created with crumpled up newspaper and lots of masking tape if you can believe it. They had to pic an era it came from, so they chose Jurassic. I like my sister's original suggestion though, the Organic Period. LOL!! This model is ready for the Museum of Natural History!!

OMG I get to post!

Yay here I am. I am way behind on my posting. The past few months really have been nuts. Things are settling down now. My resolution for the new year was to really commit myself to the things I enjoy and projects I start. For those who have an illness, you know that "funk" you get into when you don't feel well and you just lose interest in everything around you. You also have to "I feel sorry for myself" moments. We all do at one point or another. So I decided that I will no longer let this illness stop me; it may limit me, but it will not stop me.

Now for my craft work, later today I will post pictures of some of my current work. I realize my name is The Mad Crocheter, but, umm, I have been doing the K word *gasp*. Yes folks knitting. I had two projects I was hoping to get done by the holidays but I am still working on them. A hoody sweater for my son, and a shrug for my daughter. It has been years since I knitted anything at all, and I really didn't want to lose the ability, so here I am.

As for crochet, this year I am determined to design. I have done many things before, just never bothered to try and publish anything, or even write the formal directions for that matter. I worked for a designer on and off for 10 years making the items you see pictured in crochet publications. During that time my hubby kept telling me I was wasting my time and talent because I could be doing the same thing. I already have some sketches done and am going to jump into it with both feet first. If anyone is interested in testing patterns for me let me know. Or you can check my blog and see if I have a design to be tested. You of course get the design. I will be doing both knit and crochet so keep yours eyes peeled.

Okay folks , until later.....

Wip's taking over!!

Well as usual I have too many WIP's lying around and not enough time to get them all done. I am working on a baby blanket for my cousin's son with beautiful colored self striping yarn. I have a doll that I started and got put on the back burner due to some other projects. Let's see a purse to be done for an exchange, but have lots of time for that one. And then 2 things I DID complete were the sun caps shown here on my nieces. This beautiful pattern that I tested can be found at www.crochetgarden.com . Her work is exquisite, really.

Well more tomorrow, hopefully. Notice my posting is past sporadic. Someone stop the world, I wanna get off!!!!!!!!

Today I will crochet.....

Okay, all you crafters and fellow crocheters will appreciate this post,lol.

I wake up in the morning (many at that) and feel a bit sluggish. I know I should relax due to my health so I state in earshot of anyone in the house "I think today I will curl up and crochet". I then proceed to the kitchen and realize it needs to be straightened up. So I clean. Then I state "next I will crochet". Then the phone rings and I catch up with my sister. And then I notice laundry needs to be done. And then I realize the carpet needs vacuuming. And then, and then, and then..................

What is it about a work in progress that gets us to procrastinate and put it so low on the priority pole that it never even gets looked at for the day? You see I have set myself a goal. I am going to submit one of my works. I have put it off for long because I am very hard on myself. I have finally decided to just toss my hands up and do it. However the doing part is coming along slowly, lol. I am pretty sure what it boils down to is I love to do my craft work and crochet. I love it so much, that even if I am completing projects for sale I feel I am having too much fun. Therefore I get up and start doing house work, or tasks that everyone hates but someone has to do. I guess it is sort of a form of self punishment for spending time doing something that I love.

So does anyone else out there understand the guilt attachment, or am I nuts??
(No comments from the peanut gallery on the nuts part thank you!!!!!)

Whirlwind of emotions

Well it has been quite the whirlwind the past few weeks. My health has been on the downside and I have been struggling to deal with it. My grandfather's health was on the decline also. He lived to 93 years old. The cancer he had on his kidney which was inoperable finally became agressive, and he passed on 4/12. That brought up a whole bunch of emotions for me. My grandmother who passed in 2001 was like a mother to me, I loved her dearly. Losing my grandfather was like losing another connection to her.

But of course it didn't end there. My father was ill before my grandfather passed, and just like the trooper that he is, he kept himself going for the wake and funeral. The day after the funeral my father wound up in the hospital with pneumonia! So now I am at his home, helping out my brother to take care of things for my dad. Since things are pretty much under control now, I might actually get some crocheting done while here.

Well I am off for now!

On a tirade about health care

Well let me start by saying the last few days, I have suffered something terrible. This is something that comes and goes with me. I am a sufferer from Connective Tissue Disease, Fibromyalgia, and was born with a deformity to both legs.

Recently I had a discussion with my doctor about long term care to help support pain management. Sure we can get medications. I had fought the doctor to stay off of pain meds for years , and finally gave in. I have two children to raise, and a house to run. I didn't want to have to worry about being groggy. But I did need some relief and finally gave in.

My doctor pointed out that if not for just a physical relief, but a mental one, that we need therapies that we can have weekly to alleviate the stress and pain. I recently had a mini nervous breakdown if you will, and the doctor told me after evaluating me that what I was looking for was a break from illnesses that will never go away. The next suggestion was to find advocates that would help with suggestions on how to fight the insurance companies to pay for therapy or equipment that they might normally decline. But who do you go to? Where do you turn? Talk about frustration!

So now I am on a hunt, and if any information turns up I will most willingly share this with my friends. It is very hard to live day to day feeling like you are up against a brick wall and there is no way around it.

Okay, so I let off my steam!

This and that

Well I am finally up and moving around today. I have had a bad flare with my CTD and fibro and still hurting. I hate when it happens, I fall so behind in everything, including my crochet. I finally finished the doll I was working on. Working on dolls is something I so enjoy. I must not have played with them enough when I was younger, lol.

I currently am working on a felted totebag, have a shawl I want to make that is part of a group project also. And to top that off I still need to get around to making the shrug for my daughter. It's amazing that I get anything else accomplished with all the projects I have lying around, hehehe.

My son also expressed an interest in learning crocheting. I thought hey why not. He is Autistic and has ADHD and it might be a calming hobby for him. He told me the most precious thing the other day. He was a bit under the weather, and was sitting in the living room on his computer. He asked if he could use my shawl over his shoulders. I said sure. Then he proceeded to tell me that the things I make are so special. They are made with love and care, and when you use or wear them they are almost magical because it makes you feel so good. Talk about glowing!!!! I love that kid!

Well off till next time, time to work on a few things while I can...